One P8i aircraft, Navy Dornier and Coast Guard Dornier have also been pressed into search and rescue work.

At least five Navy ships have been deployed from Kochi, two ships on standby in Lakshadweep, and two ICG ships each deployed from Kochi and Tuticorin, for search and rescue operation.

Over 270 fishermen have not returned to the Thiruvananthapuram coast, triggering widespread panic in the coastal belt. A total six warships and coast guard ships have been deployed. A couple - Appu Nadar, 73, and Sumathi, 68 - also died due to the cyclone.

Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards has also been forecast while storm surge of about 1 meter above astronomical tides could very likely inundate low lying areas of Lakshadweep Islands from tonight, it warned.

The IMD had earlier issued a "heavy to very heavy rainfall" warning in both the states.

The rail services have been severely hit and several trains have been cancelled. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force from Arakkonam were rushed to Kanyakumari and other districts.

Collector K.S. Kandasamy has declared a holiday for schools in Tiruvannamalai district due to heavy rain. Power supply was badly affected in many parts of the affected districts with KSEB trying to restore the supply till late night.

The report said gale wind with speeds reaching 65-75 kmph and gusting to 85 kmph are likely along and off south Kerala over the next 48 hours and off south Tamil Nadu.